1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information-processing apparatus, a method for controlling the information-processing apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
To enhance security, a conventional information-processing apparatus (e.g., image-forming apparatus) requests a user to enter a user identification (ID) and a password in a log-in procedure and permits only a successfully authenticated user to operate the information-processing apparatus.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-301601, there is a conventional information-processing apparatus that can accept a login request from another user who wants to operate the information-processing apparatus while maintaining a log-in state of a user who currently logs in the information-processing apparatus. This conventional information-processing apparatus stores information relating to an operation screen for each user and displays an operation screen based on a user's instruction. Thus, each user can operate the operation screen to input various settings and instructions.
However, this kind of information-processing apparatus cannot allow a plurality of users to simultaneously input instructions and therefore controls a display unit to display only one active operation screen that a user can operate.
While the information-processing apparatus allows a designated user to operate an active operation screen, the information-processing apparatus maintains a login state of other user(s) whose operation screen is in an inactive state. Furthermore, to enhance security, the information-processing apparatus forces a user operating an inactive operation screen to automatically log out of the information-processing apparatus after a predetermined time has elapsed.
The above-described conventional method forcibly starts a logout procedure as for the user whose operation screen is in an inactive state after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, the conventional method has the following problems.
For example, a user who currently operates an active operation screen may allow another user to temporarily operate the information-processing apparatus. In this case, the information-processing apparatus accepts a login procedure of another user and causes the display unit to display an active operation screen for another user. In this case, the information-processing apparatus switches the operation screen corresponding to the former user into an inactive state and, if a predetermined time has elapsed, forcibly starts a logout procedure for the former user even when the user wants to operate the information-processing apparatus.